The present invention relates to skates, and more particularly to klop skates having pushing and pulling capabilities.
In competitive sports where a fraction of a second could mean the difference between winning gold and being out of the race for a medal, highly sophisticated sports equipment is a must for gaining an advantage over the competition. Ice speed skating records have recently been set by Olympic competitors competing with a new type of skate commonly referred to as a klop skate. A klop skate is a skate having a hinge which connects the frame, carrying the ice blade or wheels, with the shoe. The shoe generally sits on a rigid base. In some skates, it is the base that is pivotably connected to the frame at the hinge. A klop skate gets its name because of the xe2x80x9cclappingxe2x80x9d sound it makes when the lower frame portion and the base portion return forcibly to the closed position.
Before the introduction of klop skates, skater technique was highly emphasized in order to decrease a skater""s time over a given distance. For example, a technique frequently used prior to the introduction of klop skates was to refrain from plantar flexing at the ankle. Plantar flexion is the term used to describe rotation of the ankle distally from the leg. A common example of plantar flexion is when a person pushes on a car accelerator. Skaters were coached to dorsiflex (opposite of plantar flex) the ankle when extending their leg during the power generating push stroke. In a normal person, as the leg is being pushed away from the body, the tendency is to plantar flex. However, plantar flexion for speed skaters is detrimental. Plantar flexion causes the ice skating blade or wheels to lose contact with the surface and the tip of the skate to point downward, potentially causing the tip to drag on the surface, thus slowing the skater. It has also been shown that the longer the skate glide member is in contact with the surface, the faster a skater is likely to go. Generally, by dorsiflexing, the skater can maintain longer contact between the skate and the ground as the power generating push stroke is effectively lengthened.
However, avoiding plantar flexion also means that the skater is prevented from using his or her calf muscles to assist in pushing. A skater using this technique does not realize the full potential of all of his or her muscle groups. Therefore, the klop skate, allowing the skater to plantar flex, was developed to aid the speed skater in achieving the goals of lengthening contact time between the skate with the surface, and utilizing the calf muscles during the pushing stroke.
Although the klop skate was a substantial achievement in the skating sport, the conventional klop skates do not address another problem typically regarded as inherent to skating. That is, a skater generally only utilizes one half of the potentially available power strokes which are possible. Normally, when a speed skater has completed the push stroke, and when the power leg is being returned to its resting position for the next push stroke with the opposite leg, the skater is merely gliding on the opposite leg. Therefore, nearly half of the time is spent gliding rather than positively generating a driving force. In order to overcome this problem, as with refraining from plantar flexion, skaters have been coached to assume a wholly unnatural body position by rotating the foot slightly about the ankle to an inward pointing alignment enabling the skater to maintain contact between the skate and the surface as the skater drew the leg inward in a pulling rather than pushing stroke. An inwardly aligned skate enables the skater to maintain contact between the glide member and the surface and return the foot to a position beneath the skater""s body, while pulling himself forward. However, a skater may soon tire of this awkward position. In view of the shortcomings of the prior art, there exists a need for a klop skate which will allow a skater to utilize both a pushing and a pulling stroke.
The present invention pertains to klop skates which enable the skater to be able to plantar flex at the ankle. The skate boot is able to flex or pivot relative to the skate frame. The skates of the present invention permit a skater to utilize a pushing and pulling stroke. Push/pull skates facilitate propulsion through not only pushing during a stroke, but also through an inward pulling motion at the completion of a stroke by including either a canted hinge device connecting the skate frame to the shoe or by including devices that positively bias the frame away from the base, and also by devices that do not automatically bias the frame towards the shoe base. The latter is accomplished by either physically coupling a control device to the skater that counteracts biasing of the frame or by providing a shoe base that is constructed having a substantially neutral flexing base or a balanced frame, neither of which forcibly xe2x80x9cklopsxe2x80x9d the frame or allows it to swing freely.
In one embodiment of the present invention, a skate includes a glide member for traversing a surface. The skate includes a shoe portion for receiving a skater""s foot. The skate has a base secured to the shoe portion and underlying the received foot. The skate includes a base lever attached to the shoe portion base. The base lever has a forward end portion and a forward base lever attachment structure defined by the forward end portion. The base lever has a longitudinal base lever axis aligned and underlying a longitudinal axis of the received foot. The base lever defines a base lever plane, passing through the longitudinal base lever axis and perpendicular to the lower surface of the base. The skate also includes an elongate frame for mounting the glide member. The frame has a longitudinal axis, a forward end portion, and a forward frame attachment structure. The frame defines a frame plane passing through the frame longitudinal axis and perpendicular to the ground when the skate frame is fully upright. The skate includes a hinge that pivotally connects the forward end portion of the base lever to the forward end portion of the frame. The hinge is arranged such that upon pivoting of the base lever away from the frame, the base lever plane defines an angle of canting with respect to the frame plane. Stated another way, the longitudinal axis of the base lever, projected onto a horizontal plane (as defined with the skate frame in a fully upright position) passing through the longitudinal axis of the frame, defines the angle of canting with respect to the longitudinal frame axis.
In another embodiment of the invention, the base lever forward attachment structure is pivotably connected to the frame forward attachment structure. The hinge used to secure both structures is canted vertically, such that the pivot axis of the hinge forms an angle with respect to a horizontal plane passing through the longitudinal axis of the frame.
In another embodiment, the vertically canted hinge is adjustable, such that the angle of canting may be varied vertically.
In another embodiment, the base lever forward attachment structure is pivotably connected to the frame forward attachment structure. The hinge used to connect both structures is horizontally canted, such that the pivot axis of the hinge forms an angle with respect to a vertical plane extending perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the frame.
In another embodiment, the horizontally canted hinge is adjustable, such that the angle of canting may be varied horizontally.
In another embodiment, the hinge may be horizontally and vertically canted, such that the hinge is adjustable both vertically and horizontally.
In a preferred embodiment, the frame forward attachment structure is formed from the forward end portion of the frame, the frame defining medial and lateral sides. The inner surfaces of the medial and lateral sides create a space for placement of the base lever forward attachment structure. The respective inner surfaces of the medial side and the lateral side of the frame forward attachment structure are at an angle with respect to a vertical plane (as defined by the skate frame in a fully upright position) passing through the longitudinal axis of the frame. The medial side and the lateral side each define a transverse aperture for receiving a hinge pin. The base lever forward attachment structure has a forward end portion having correspondingly angled side surfaces to mount in the space created by the medial side and the lateral side of the frame forward attachment structure. The base lever forward attachment structure defines a transverse passage through which the hinge pin is received, with the ends of the pin projecting from either side of the passage into the frame apertures. When the pin is mounted on the frame, the ends of the pin are at differing elevations relative to the ground. When the base lever forward attachment structure is mounted to the frame forward attachment structure by the hinge, the frame tends to assume a toe-in configuration, with the heel of the frame offset to the side upon pivoting of the base lever with respect to the frame. The glide member has a plurality of wheels, having their axis of rotation perpendicular to the frame. The wheels are attached to a lower portion of the frame substantially in an in-line fashion. Alternately, an ice skating blade may be employed.
In another preferred embodiment, the frame forward attachment structure has a tab projecting substantially vertically upward from a point proximate to the forward end of the frame. The tab is offset either medially or laterally with respect to the longitudinal axis of the frame. The tab is inclined on a central tab plane that creates an angle with respect to a vertical plane (as defined by the skate frame in a fully upright position) passing through the longitudinal axis of the frame. The tab has a transverse passage for mounting a hinge pin therein. The base lever forward attachment structure has two ears projecting substantially vertically downward, mounted proximate to the forward end portion of the base on lateral and medial sides thereof. The frame tab is received between the ears. Each of the two ears defines an aperture for mounting the hinge pin therein. The hinge pin extends through the aligned tab and ears. When the base lever forward attachment structure is mounted to the frame forward attachment structure by the hinge, the frame tends to assume a toe-in configuration, and the heel of the frame projects to the side upon pivoting of the base lever with respect to the frame. An ice skating blade is mounted on a lower portion of the frame. Alternately, skate wheels may be employed.
In another preferred embodiment, the frame forward attachment structure has a mounting member that is rotatably attached proximate to the forward portion of the frame. The rotating mounting member has a medial side and a lateral side. A hinge pin mounting passage is formed through the mounting member, extending from the lateral to the medial side. The planar shaped rotating member lies substantially horizontal on the frame. The rotating member is rotatably secured to the frame by at least one fastener. The fastener may be loosened to rotatably adjust the mounting member, or snugged to anti-rotatably secure the mounting member in place. The base lever forward attachment structure has two planar shaped ears projecting substantially vertically downward. The mounting member is received between the base lever ears. Each of the ears defines an aperture for mounting a hinge pin. The hinge pins pass through the base ears and are threadably engaged in the mounting member passage with their ends being received in the aperture of the ears. The glide member may be an ice skating blade or a plurality of skate wheels.
In another preferred embodiment, the klop skate of the present invention includes a shoe portion with a base, a base lever underlying the shoe base and a frame. The frame and the base lever are connected to each other at the forward end of the skate by a hinge, such that the frame can pivot about the hinge and swing open. The frame is biased closed by a spring. A force transmission linkage such as a cable attached to the skate-wearer at runs from a cuff fastened to the leg of the wearer to the forward end of the frame. Tensioning the cable by flexing at the ankle, produces an opposing force to the spring which allows the frame to swing open or to maintain an already open position. In an alternative, the cuff is pivotally attached to the shoe portion of the skate.
In another preferred embodiment, the klop skate of the present invention includes a shoe portion with a base, and a frame secured to the underside of the base forefoot region. The base has a forefoot region and a heel region. The forefoot region of the base is adapted to flex during skating, such that the frame can pivot and open. The base flex region is neutrally biased against urging the frame to the closed position. If the skate-wearer flexes at the metatarsal or phalangeal joint, the frame is directed downward and the frame is considered open.
In another preferred embodiment, the klop skate of the present invention includes a flexing base with a heel guide. The heel guide includes a biasing device which directs the frame away from the base to the open position. The heel guide also includes a controller to adjust the amount of biasing.
A skate constructed in the manners just described is meant to enable a push/pull skate which allows a skate-wearer to maintain the klop skate in an open position while lifting the gliding member off the surface or maintaining the glide member on the surface and redirecting the skate to an inward direction.
The present invention thus provides push/pull skates which includes a skate with a hinge that provides an inward purchasing, i.e., an inwardly configured glide member, and a skate which holds the skate frame open to prevent digging the forward tip of the frame into the surface.